“It’s brilliant,” Skujins said when asked about Tuesday’s win. “It’s not my first win back since the crash, which is even more surprising, but California has always been special to me just because of that first win with Hincapie [team], and having the leader’s jersey for a couple of days, and then suffering so badly and blowing up on the last day. But I definitely wouldn’t have believed it if someone said I would win this year again – even if it was me.”

Skujins was on another breakaway attempt last year for Cannondale-Drapac when he fell on a sweeping corner. He quickly returned to his feet but wobbled across the road, twice narrowly missing passing riders. He returned to his bike, fell again, went back to his bike and then began to race again briefly before a team car arrived and pulled him out of the race.